Augustine

An introduction to St. Augustine. Articles, blogs, podcasts, stories, and videos about St. Augustine, the City of God, and other teachings of Augustine.

St. Augustine at the museum. Scene 1

Augustine’s Political Philosophy Explains Our Political Chaos

History, Worldview / By

St. Augustine’s political philosophy offers a surprising diagnosis for America’s polarization: our crisis stems from “disordered loves” – valuing the wrong things and treating politics as a religion that can save us. Augustine argued that nations are defined not by laws but by what they collectively love, and that without proper ordering of these desires toward truth and justice, governments become merely legitimized “gangs of robbers” driven by lust for domination. His solution isn’t withdrawal or despair, but “engaged pilgrimage” – working for provisional justice while recognizing that politics cannot provide ultimate meaning, freeing us from the rage and desperation that comes from expecting earthly systems to save us.

Augustine’s Political Philosophy Explains Our Political Chaos Read More »

City of God: Book 2 – Podcast

Books, Worldview / By

This podcast episode from “Ancient Ideas” explores Book 2 of Augustine’s City of God, where Augustine shifts from defending Christianity against blame for Rome’s sack to launching a powerful counterattack against pagan religion. Augustine argues that Rome’s true downfall wasn’t physical destruction but moral corruption fostered by the gods themselves, using Roman theater and historians like Sallust as evidence that the empire was spiritually rotting long before any military defeat. The episode concludes with Augustine’s invitation to Romans to abandon their “malignant” gods and join the eternal City of God, where true justice and holiness reign.

City of God: Book 2 – Podcast Read More »

City of God: Book 1 – Podcast

Books, Worldview / By

This morning, I used GenSpark.ai to analyze and discuss book one from St. Augustine’s City of God. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the audio it produced. I uploaded a PDF copy of the introduction and book one, and a few minutes later I was able to download the podcast. What follows is an unedited audio message and transcript generated by GenSpark AI. You will hear two people discussing book one from St. Augustine’s City of God.

City of God: Book 1 – Podcast Read More »

Augustine on Prudence

Virtues / By

In City of God, Augustine redefines prudence, a classical virtue, through a Christian lens, critiquing its misapplication in imperial and pagan contexts. He challenges the “prudence” of Rome’s pursuit of glory, arguing it leads to fragile happiness, likened to broken glass, marred by fear, lust, and bloodshed (Book IV, Chapter 3). Augustine posits that true prudence discerns God’s will, guiding virtues like justice, fortitude, and temperance toward eternal happiness rather than fleeting worldly gains (Book XIX, Chapters 4, 20). He critiques pagan virtues as enslaved to pleasure, reducing prudence to a tool for securing earthly desires (Book V, Chapter 20), and contrasts this with Christian prudence, which navigates moral choices in a fallen world.

Augustine on Prudence Read More »

Frank Zappa Translation of Augustine’s City of God

Books, Music / By

In a bold mashup, St. Augustine’s The City of God, written between 413-426 AD to defend Christians against pagan critics after Rome’s fall, gets a modern twist through the satirical lens of Frank Zappa, the musical maverick known for blending rock, jazz, and avant-garde sounds to mock popular culture. This imaginative fusion pairs Augustine’s rhetorical brilliance and theological depth with Zappa’s eclectic, boundary-pushing style, creating a “Zappa-fied” introduction to inspire new readers to tackle the 1136-page classic. With AI-generated art and a funky vibe, this teaser barely scratches the surface but serves up Augustine’s cosmic symphony with a side of Zappa’s funky flair.

Frank Zappa Translation of Augustine’s City of God Read More »

Finding Happiness

Opinion / By

“Imagine a world where the goal is finding happiness.” This is the final line in a movie trailer for ‘Finding Happiness’. But is the goal of life finding happiness? If so, how do you find it? Is finding happiness the most important goal in life? Blaise Pascal said: “All men seek happiness. This is without

Finding Happiness Read More »

Scroll to Top